Privateers Begin Busy Weekend, Hosting MLB Urban Youth Invitational

MLB URBAN YOUTH INVITATIONAL
GAME 5-7 | NEW ORLEANS, LA. | MAESTRI FIELD AT FIRST NBC BALLPARK
FRIDAY 6:00 PM | SATURDAY 6:00 PM | SUNDAY 1:00 PM

LIVE STATS | AUDIO | VIDEO (FRI. & SUN.) | TWITTER 
 
THE WEEKEND:
The New Orleans Privateers baseball team (1-3) will battle three SWAC schools over the course of the weekend as part of the Major League Baseball Urban Youth Invitational. New Orleans will face Alcorn State on Friday, Southern on Saturday, and close with Grambling on Sunday. The Saturday game vs. Southern will be on MLB Network.
 
The Privateers are coming fresh off their first win of the season on Wednesday at Southern Miss. New Orleans won 7-6 in a game where they never trailed. Jarred Taylor pitched the final three innings to pick up his first collegiate save. New Orleans snapped a 12-game skid against Southern Miss which dated back to 2008.
 
THE OPPONENTS:
ALCORN STATE:
The Braves come in with a mark of 1-2 after their opening series against Savannah State. The two teams met twice last season with the Privateers taking both meetings. Barret Rey enters his fifth season and was the SWAC Coach of the Year in 2011. The win over Savannah State gave Rey his 100^th victory at Alcorn.
 
Moses Charles is among the top returners for the Braves after hitting .320 last season and stealing 27 bases. Also returning is Scotty Peavey who was a second team All-Conference selection in 2014. Peavey led the team in hits and doubles last season.
 
SOUTHERN:
The Jaguars will be making their season debut under Roger Cador who has been with the Southern program since 1985 and has compiled over 800 wins while guiding the Jaguars to 14 conference championships.
 
Southern played an exhibition game in which they shut out Baton Rouge CC 6-0. Six pitchers combined to limit Baton Rouge CC to just three hits. Southern had three players named to the preseason All-SWAC team: Jose De La Torre, Santos Saldivar, and DJ Wallace.
 
GRAMBLING:
The Tigers drew a blank in the opening weekend, dropping three games in the ULM Tournament before coming home and defeating Wiley College 12-2 on Wednesday for their first win of the season. The Tigers (1-3) had five extra base hits (four doubles, one triple) and stole four bases in the win.
 
Grambling went 16-31 a year ago including an 11-13 mark in SWAC play. The Tigers' losses in the opening weekend came to host, Louisiana-Monroe, Indiana State, and Central Arkansas. Grambling surrendered 30 runs in the three losses.

WEATHER:

DAY	TEMPERATURE	CONDITIONS	CHANCE OF RAIN	WINDS
Friday	63/58	PM Showers	50%	SSE 10-20
Saturday	72/62	PM Showers/Wind	50%	SSE 10-15
Sunday	76/50	Isolated T-storms	30%	NNE 10-20

 
PITCHING ROTATION:
FRIDAY (vs. Alcorn State)- RHP Shawn Semple (0-1, 2.46)
SATURDAY (vs. Southern)- RHP Alex Smith (0-0, 6.00)
SUNDAY (vs. Grambling)- LHP Jordan Priddle (1-0, 4.50)
 
ALL-TIME RECORD (LAST MEETING):
ALCORN- UNO leads 4-0 (UNO W 10-5, 3/26/14)
SOUTHERN- UNO leads 24-17 (UNO W 9-1, 2/16/14)
GRAMBLING- Tied 3-3 (GRAM W 17-5, 3/24/13)
 
NEXT UP:
The Privateers remain at home for the first game of the First NBC Cup against Tulane on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The return trip to Tulane will take place on Wednesday. Both games feature a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
PRODUCTION THROUGHOUT:
The Privateers have gotten solid production at the plate from the bottom of the order. Ray Veit reached base twice on Wednesday and has an on-base percentage of .412. Chaz Boyer has driven in five runs, which leads the team. Last year, Boyer had nine RBIs on the season and didn't pick up his fifth RBI until his 21^st appearance.
 
STEADY AS THEY GO:
Jonathan Coco has collected a hit in each of the first four games, and has three two-hit games. Coco, who is in his fourth year with the program, has a career-best hitting streak of seven games (Mar. 16-26, 2013).
 
STARTING ON THE RIGHT FOOT:
The Privateers are hitting .306 (11-for-36) as a team when leading off an inning. Also, New Orleans has held opponents in their first four games to just two runs in the first three innings. The Privateers have not allowed a first inning run in their first week of games. 

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